May 2023 Persecution Magazine

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Your Hands and Feet ICC PROJECTS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUPPORTERS A Calamitous Quake ICC Joins Massive Relief Effort Thanks to Your Support 7.8 magnitude earthquake and many aftershocks struck southeast A Turkey near the Syrian border in early February. By the (conservative) numbers: • More than 50,000 people killed. • More than 300,000 collapsed or heavily damaged buildings. • More than two million people were displaced. There is scant media attention two months later. The public turned its short attention span to other things. But the crisis continues for displaced families in the region that struggle under extreme conditions. They lack adequate shelter, food, and necessities. It’s a gut punch for Christians already facing threats in heavily Muslim communities under a hostile government. International Christian Concern (ICC) joined the massive relief effort through local workers we trust. ICC spent tens of thousands of dollars on tents, food, clothing, hygiene products, generators, and more, thanks to your support. ICC is in this for the long haul. With so many churches destroyed and a government that doesn’t want them there, we are committed to helping the Christian community rebuild. 6 Persecution | MAY 2023
West Watch A GLIMPSE AT ISSUES INVOLVING CHRISTIANITY IN THE WEST Photo: First Hope Association in Turkey Christian Finnish Member of Parliament on Trial Again for “Hate Speech” One Year After Not- Guilty Verdict Finnish Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen must once again return to court to defend her Biblical views of sexuality. Despite being found not guilty of hate speech against the LGBT community by a Finnish trial court last year, the prosecutors appealed and are seeking “tens of thousands of Euros in fines and… insist that Räsänen’s and Pohjola’s publications be censored,” according to ADF International. Dr. Räsänen, a medical doctor, member of Finland’s legislature, and former Minister of the Interior, published a Tweet in 2019 in response to the Finnish Lutheran Church’s support of pro-LGBT pride event. Her Tweet questioned the church’s support of the event and included a picture of a Bible verse from Romans. Unlike many nations, Finland allows prosecutors to appeal a trial court’s “not guilty” verdict. Photo: ICC President Jeff King with Dr. Räsänen and her husband Niilo Räsänen European Court of Human Rights Condemns Russia for Persecution of Home Church Pastor Europe’s top human rights body, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), has found that Russia violated the right to religious freedom against a Christian pastor. In 2016, Donald Ossewaarde was an evangelical pastor who was arrested and fined, “after he invited locals to his house for worship, singing, and Bible study,” according to ADF International. Pastor Ossewaarde moved his family from their home state of Michigan to Russia in 2005 to be missionaries. He was conducting a standard Sunday service in his home when Russian police officers questioned and later arrested him for illegal “missionary activity” in 2016. Russia has been increasing pressure on foreign missionaries since a new law was passed in 2016. In its condemnation against Russia, the ECHR said, “freedom to manifest one’s religion includes… the right to express one’s religious views” and that missionary work and evangelism is a protected right under European law “along with other acts of worship.” PERSECUTION.ORG 7
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May 2023 Persecution Magazine

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